DONATING FACE MASKS FOR THOSE IN NEED

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With face masks being in short supply due to the coronavirus outbreak, one mask manufacturer has pledged to donate 50,000 masks to the underprivileged every month. The recipients include low-income families, uses of social welfare facilities and people with weak immune systems.

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Workers at this face mask manufacturing company based in Yangju, Gyeonggi-do Province, have their hands full these days. The factory's production line is moving non-stop. As demand for face masks skyrocketed lately, the factory has been operating around the clock. The company is producing 70,000 masks daily, twice the normal amount. Its products are sold out to wholesale distributors in no time. It's been a while since the company ran out of stock.

[Soundbite] HAN KIL-SEON(HANDA HEALTHCARE) : "As you can see, we're almost out of stock. Sadly, face masks are in short supply now."

Although mask manufacturers are producing more products than usual, it's not enough to meet the soaring demand. That's the reason this company has decided to donate 50,000 face masks monthly until the coronavirus outbreak dissipates.

[Soundbite] KIM SEON-YI(CEO OF HANDA HEALTHCARE) : "We decided to donate our products because we wanted to do something for the people of our country and the citizens of Yangju."

On February 10th, the company will deliver the first batch of 50,000 face masks to the government of Yangju City, where it is based.

[Soundbite] SUNG YEOL-WON(OFFICIAL, YANGJU CITY GOVERNMENT) : "We will distribute the donated face masks to low-income families, users of social welfare facilities and people with weak immune systems via public health centers to help them prevent the novel coronavirus."

The donation is expected to greatly relieve the shortage of face masks in the city of Yangju.